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What's next for Ricardo Avila, shown here in front of Mextopia in 2011?

Mextopia did close yesterday, Ricardo Avila confirmed in a voice message. I was sorry to miss his call, but he did sound excited as he talked a bit about his plans post-Mextopia. And it sounds like he’s moving pretty quickly with, well, something. “I’m in the process of a new invigoration,” he said. “We kind of struggled through that whole Greenville Avenue situation — and street construction — and we decided let’s revamp, let’s refresh and invigorate the menu. And we decided we would pick a spot somewhere other than Greenville to do that.” He’s still “tweaking and doing some R and D” to the concept, he added. “It’ll be fun; it’ll be something that Dallas right now doesn’t have.”

He’ll know more in the next couple weeks, he added, promising to keep us posted as he gets closer and has more details. In the meantime, “We’re looking forward to the new concept and the new restaurant.”

“We are moving on!” says the email to Mextopia’s patrons. It seems Ricardo Avila‘s 2-year-old Tex-Mex spot has closed or will soon close. “The Greenville Ave. location has been a difficult one for us,” says the email, “and it is time for us to move on. We have an exciting collaboration in the works, we will keep you posted on its development.”

I just called the restaurant, and the outgoing message doesn’t indicate that the place has closed. I’ve put a call in to Ricardo Avila and will update as I learn more.

For this week’s review, I pulled my car into the line-up at the valet and headed into Victor Tango’s, the Henderson Ave. hot spot where Greg Bussey is chef. Want more? I also visited Mextopia, Ricardo Avila’s groovy Tex-Mex place on lower Greenville. Do let us know what you think.

Ricardo Avila opened Mextopia on Lower Greenville recently, and now the rest of the family, with Mama, has refurbished and reopened the original Avila’s location on Maple, starting Wednesday. A grand opening will follow in June.

The menu looks identical to the old menu – and to Mextopia’s menu – although I don’t see wine and beer at the original location yet. Nor has Ricardo secured his liquor license. Meanwhile, Ricardo’s Mextopia has added lunch hours.

I care less about the family rift by the minute and hope what we have gained out of the painful family split is two wonderful Tex-Mex restaurants, each steeped in tradition and heritage.

Only time will tell, as we dine at each one and evaluate the experience. Has anyone been to both to compare?

After the Avila family feud earlier this year over Avila’s Mexican Restaurant, Ricardo split off to develop a place of his own. Ricardo Avila’s Mextopia opens on Lower Greenville tonight.

Dinner tonight and Saturday is from 5 to 10 p.m., Sunday brunch is from 11 a.m to 3 p.m. with the regular menu offered all day till 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, the hours are 5 to 10 p.m. The liquor license still is pending.

Meanwhile, yesterday I drove by Avila’s Mexican Restaurant on Maple, where other members of the family are working on a remodel, and it still has a sign out front to that effect, with the message that it will open soon.